Margot May explains her evolving sound ahead of homecoming show at The Ship
Photo by Reina Horner
Local favorites will be returning to the stage this week for a free show. L.A.-based artist and Kansas City native Margo May will join Jared Bond and Tim York on October 9 at The Ship for a night filled with Midwest indie rockers.
Since her days in the Midwest and her stint on American Idol, May’s music has been featured on popular TV shows such as “Dance Moms” and “Dead to Me,” and she has performed at venues around the country. She also plans to preview a new single, set for release on Halloween, titled “I Know Five People in LA.”
The Pitch spoke with May to learn about what she’s been working on and what audiences can expect from the performance later this week.
The Pitch: You grew up in Kansas—what are some of your earliest musical memories here?
Margo May: I guess if you’re going super early, I did theater around Kansas City, like at The Coterie, which was one of the first places I worked, and New Theater & Restaurant. That’s where I initially learned how to sing. Then I started playing shows and writing music when I was about 16. I was mostly performing at coffee shops. I got my start at Black Dog Cafe in Shawnee.
On your website, you cite how “listening to 90s pop alternative, admiring Alanis Morissette’s dynamic vocals and raw lyrics” influenced you, which led you to learn guitar and piano, along with other influences like Joni Mitchell and Lana Del Rey. Can you talk more about how these artists helped shape your personal sound, and how you balance the different genres and styles in your music?
I was a radio and records kid before CDs were available. Even though CDs were “hot” back then, I would literally hear songs on the radio and then try to learn them. So, I would say my biggest influence when I started playing guitar was probably Alanis or Jewel—those were my main two. But I was also a little emo. Dashboard Confessional and blink-182, along with other emo bands that were popular at the time, were a significant influence on my desire to play music. Later on, I got super into the folk thing on my last full-length album. It’s very acoustic. Elliott Smith was a big influence, with that super stripped-down, soft, intimate sound.
You describe your sound as fusing “soulful vibes with folky acoustic pop.” You went from “American Idol” Season 9 to playing venues around the country to your songs being featured on TV Shows such as “Dance Moms” and “Dead To Me.” With all these varied experiences, how would you describe the evolution of your sound over time?
Firstly, the small thing about having your song on a TV show is that they don’t actually tell you, “Hey, write a song for this.” It’s usually just someone going through your catalog and seeing what works. When I first moved to L.A., I was super focused on getting a good agent and trying to get my songs in film and TV. But then it became sort of this bad, capitalist mindset that affected my music. As you know, sync is super saturated now, and I kind’ve stepped away from that more.
When I write songs, though, I’m always thinking about narrative storytelling. I want them to feel cinematic. I love diving back into shows that were set in, and evoke the feelings, of the ’90s—like “Friends” and “Sex and the City”—these throwback shows where, when I write, I sometimes picture the characters, which I know sounds cheesy.
No, that makes total sense.
The “Dance Moms” thing was really cool because they did choreography to the song, but, again, you don’t know when you’re going to get those moments. L.A. is super competitive, and there are a million girls here doing what I’m doing, but I’m just trying to be as authentic as possible. It’s a slow burn. Some songs I’m releasing now I’ve been working on for five years. When you’re an independent artist paying for everything yourself, you just try to do the best you can.
The music industry has changed so much since my time on American Idol. It’s always the case that they’re looking for a particular sound depending on the year. In my season, there wasn’t much room for softer singers and songwriters—at least on the show. Now, I feel like pop has shifted from the bigger Lady Gaga and Katy Perry-style voices back toward softer voices. I don’t really have that big, diva-belting voice, unfortunately. But I feel like pop has been more in my favor, recently.
In an old Pitch article, I saw that you had a creative shift in 2013 to making music more dance-inspired, tropical pop with folk roots. Is there another creative shift on the horizon for you? What may the future of your music look like?
Yeah, I remember that. It was 2013, and I had put out an electronic album with a great producer named Elias Abid, who’s based in Kansas City. At the time, I really wanted to go in that direction. Grimes was a big inspiration, for sure. But I’ve definitely stepped away from that.
My sound right now, since being in L.A., has shifted to reconnecting with my emo roots. Listeners can expect more music in that realm—a bit of indie pop mixed in, too.
What do you hope listeners take from your music?
One thing I’ve always loved about my music—and again, this is why I love Lana Del Rey and Billie Eilish—is its darkness and sadness. There’s a lot of longing. A lot of the music I wrote in my 20s was about “toxic love.” I want people to feel like they can relate. It’s therapeutic and diary-like.
I’m very honest in my music, and it’s a place for that. The most honesty you’re going to find is when you’re listening to an artist who’s being real, you know? That’s what I want. I can tell the difference when I listen to music and go, “Ok, I know they wrote that and that’s what they’re feeling,” versus hearing lyrics that feel fake. I just try to stay authentic to my lyrics and what I’m trying to convey in a song.
Also, I want them to experience a sense of dreaminess. Whenever I write songs, there’s this part of me—I’m a Pisces—that feels “up in the clouds.” That’s also what I want to give to my listeners, too.
You are going to take the same stage as Jared Bond and Tim York, who are also from the area. What can the Kansas City audience expect from your performance and the entire lineup at The Ship on the 9th?
They’re my friends from high school. I played a lot of house shows growing up, and that’s how I met them. We started playing together when we were about 16. I asked them to play at The Ship specifically because I thought it’d be cool to go back to Kansas City and play a show with people I’ve known for a long time. I’ll probably see some folks I haven’t seen in years, too. I’ve already received a few messages saying, “Whoa! That’s a throwback.” I love that these guys they’re still writing music and it’ll be a fun little homecoming trip.
Tim and I will be playing acoustic and doing some ’90s covers. His sound is reminiscent of Feist meeting John Mayer, with a pop influence. Jared’s set is gonna have a full band and be much more “rocking.” Jared’s got a more Midwestern, indie, dad-rock vibe.
I’m gonna have a lot of new songs. If you’re a viewer that’s never heard of me before, and you’re just curious to come out and see a show, I’d definitely say it will have a ’90s cafe vibe— like somewhere you’d want to hang out.
Photo by Reina Horner
I saw that you released two new singles this year. Back in 2009, in an interview with The Pitch, you said, “Every time I play a show, I’m going to play a song that I’m never going to play again,” explaining how you seek to create a personal relationship with the audience. Does that still hold true? Should audiences expect to hear some unreleased or exclusive songs?
Oh my god, I can’t believe I said that! I definitely did not keep up that end of the bargain.
But the audience will still hear some unreleased, new stuff. I have a new single coming out on Halloween, and I’m going to play that. There are also a few other new songs—that I have yet to record. Most of my set, though, will be older songs—like “Blue Shoes,” “All the Highways,” and “Wake.”
Is there anything I haven’t asked that you’d wanna make sure I mention?
I just want to add that we’re living in a difficult time, not just for musicians but especially for female artists. Controlling the rights to your own music, your image, and even interacting with your audience. In some ways, it makes me thankful that I didn’t become a mega-star at 21, but I do still wonder what might’ve happened if I’d won my season of American Idol.
You see women in this industry being told they aren’t young enough or pretty enough—which has happened to me. You see the burnout, or the announcements of tour cancellations (like Lola Young’s), and it is all just a reminder that the music business wants to push us all to the breaking point. So to be out here, performing the way I want to, is something I hope shows that this doesn’t have to be the narrative.
